Ecstasy's effects on the brain might be overestimated

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Previous research into brain damage caused by ecstasy has focused on extremely heavy users, according to a recent study published in the .

The author the paper, University Edinburgh’s Balázs Szigeti, was inspired to conduct this research having found an inconsistency in the methodology a previous study that analysed the drug’s effects on the brain.

He explained to : “I found it weird that they called users who take two pills twice a month ‘low to moderate users,’ I suspected that it is much more than what the average user takes.”

Through its research, the team revealed the effects “ecstasy induced serotonergic alterations” are “likely to be overestimated for the majority users”. However, Szigeti emphasised this does not suggest all MDMA usage is harmless.

In other ecstasy news, the pill testing service at revealed less than 50 per cent samples showed a “reasonably high purity” the drug.